The Period marks a whole sentence, either fimple or compound, making a full and perfect fenfe, and not connected in conftruction with another fentence. The Colon marks the greatest divifion of a sentence, and is a member thereof; containing a perfect fenfe, but not a perfect fentence. The Semicolon is a lefs conftructive part of a sentence that the colon, and does not form a perfect fenfe, but holds a middle place between the colon and the comma, being a greater pause than the latter, and lefs than the former. The Comma marks the least conftructive parts of a fen. tence; or it marks a fimple fentence. The precife quantity of time required at each of these paufes or points is uncertain; as the fame compofition may be rehearsed in a longer or, fhorter time; but the propor tional quantity of time of the points is as follows: the pe riod is a pause of double the quantity of time of the colon; the colon is double of the femicolon; the femicolon is double of the comma. In order to discover the proper use of these points, we must confider the nature of a sentence, as divided into its constructive parts, and the degrees of connexion between thefe parts: as alfo the nature of an imperfect phrafe. An imperfect phrafe contains no affertion, or does not amount to a propofition or fentence, as was seen in page 41, A fimple sentence, as was before hinted, confifts of an agent, or subject, an attribute, and (if the verb be active or paffive) an object: or it confifts of one agent or fubject, and one finite verb; that is, a verb in the indicative, imperative, or subjunctive mode: as, " God made man ;" here God is the agent or fubject, as he perforins the action, viz. made man the verb made is the attribute which always expreffes the ac tion; and man is the object upon which the action is exer、 cifed; that is, the action of creation. But the fubject, or agent, and the attribute, and the ob jeft, may each of them be accompanied with feveral circum ftances or characteristics, called therefore their adjuncts; as the motive, place, time, manner, cause, and the like: and thefe may be connected either immediately, or mediately, to the parts of the fentence to which they belong. If the feveral adjuncts are related to the parts of a sentence in a different manner, they are then only fo many imperfect phrases, and the fentence is fimple. But if the feveral adjuncts belong to the parts of a sentence in the fame manner, they then become so many simple sentences; and the sentence is then compound. For a compound sentence confifts of two or more fimple fentences connected together; or it hath more than one subject, and one finite verb. Thus, if feveral fubjects belong in the fame manner to one verb, or several verbs belong in the fame manner to one fubject, the fubjects and verbs are to be accounted equal in number: for every fubject, except the cafe abfolute, and the vo cative cafe, must have its verb: and every finite verb its fub. ject; and generally has its point of diftinction. Examples of the Ufe of the Comma. "This fingle confideration will be fufficient to extinguifh all envy in inferior. natures." In this fentence confideration is the fubject or agent, extinguish the attribute or verb, envy the object: each of which is connected with its - adjuncts. The fubject does not mean any confideration indefinitely, but a particular confideration, treated of in the former part of the Effay (namely, the confideration of the progrefs of a human foul towards perfection in knowledge), and here defined by the adjunct, this fingle (confideration). The attribute or verb is alfo connected with its adjuncts; imme diately with envy, as the object of the action; and mediately by the intervention of the word envy inferior natures, the fubject in which envy is extinguished; the adverb fufficient is the adjunct of the verb, denoting its power. It is to be obferved, that each of thefe adjuncts belong to the verb in a different different manner; envy belongs to it as the object; inferior natures as the subject in which the object is extinguished; and fufficient as the power of the verb to produce the effect. The adjuncts are, therefore, only fo many imperfect phrases; and the fentence is fimple, and admits of no points to distinguish it into parts. "Methinks this fingle confideration, of the progrefs of a finite spirit to perfection, will be fufficient to extinguish all envy in inferior natures, and all contempt in fuperior." Here two new fentences are introduced; the one inserted in the middle of the former sentence, and the other added to the end of it. The former of them, of the progrefs of a finite fpirit to perfection, is connected with the attribute in the fanie manner as the agent, or this fingle confideration, for they both exprefs the fame idea; and the verb may be joined with either of them, and the fentence have the fame fenfe: as, "the progrefs of a finite spirit to perfection, will be fufficient to extinguifh all envy in inferior natures." The latter fentence, and all contempt in fuperior, is connected exactly in the fame manner with the attribute as the object in the first sentence is, though it does not convey the fame idea; and may be made the object of the fentence in the fame manner as the former fentence was made the agent; as, "Methinks this fingle confideration will be fufficient to extinguish all contempt in fuperior." (beings) The first of these newly inferted fentences may therefore be confidered as only another agent; and the latter as another object to the verb, in the first-mentioned fentence. They are therefore fo many fimple fentences, and should each be diftinguished by a comma; and the whole is a compounded fentence. And again, "A wife man will defire no more than what he may get justly, use soberly, diftribute cheerfully, and live upon contentedly." In this fentence, the phrafes, get justly, ufe foberly, diftribute cheerfully, and live upon contentedly, are each connected with the fubject, he, in the fame manner, and in effect, form fo many diftinct fentences; as, a wife man will defire no more than what he may get justly : a wife man will defire no more than what he may use foberly : a wise man will defire no more than what he may diftribute cheerfully a wife man will defire 'no more than what he may live upon contentedly. They muft each of then, therefore, be diftinguished by a comma. They are fo many fimple fentences, and the whole is a compound fentence. As fentences themselves are divided into fimple and compound, fo the members of fentences may be divided into fimple and compound members: for whole fentences, whether fimple or compound, may become members of other fentences, by means of a connexion. The following are marked by a Comma: Firft, fimple members of fentences, closely connected together in one compound member or fentence: as in the fore going example: except, firft, when the members are fhort in comparative fentences: as, in the former part of the laft example, "a wife man will defire no more than what he may get juftly." Thefe are, in fact, two fimple fentences compared by the conjunction than; but, being fhort, they are not separated by a comma. Secondly, when two fimple members or fentences are closely connected by a relative, and the fubject of the antecedent is confined to a particular fenfe : as, "the man who is poffeffed of this excellent frame of mind, is not only eafy in his thoughts, but a perfect mafter of all the powers and faculties of his foul."-Spectator. In this fentence, the man, is connected to the following fentences by the relative who; which reftrains the idea of the antecedent to the fenfe here mentioned. Secondly, the cafe abfolute: as, "the doors being hut, Jefus flood in the midst.” Thirdly, nouns in appofition, when confifting of many terms: as, "Alexander, the great, cruel, and unjust.” Fourthly, the vocative cafe, or when an address is made to a perfon : as, "This faid, be formed thee, Adam: thee, O man."Milton. Fifthly, when there are more than two nouns, or adjectives, connected by copulatives or disjunctives; or when there are only two, if the conjunction be understood: as, "Raptures, transports, and ecstacies are the rewards which they confer : fighs and tears, prayers and broken hearts, are the offerings which are paid to them."-Spectator. Sixthly, a circumftance of importance, though only au imperfect phrase: as, "the principle may be defective or faulty; but the confequences it produces are fo good, that, for the benefit of mankind, it ought not to be extinguished." Spectator. Lastly, the participle with fomething depending on it: as, -MILTON. The SEMICOLON is ufed when a sentence, or member of a fentence, requires a greater pause than a comma, yet neither forms a perfect fense, nor a perfect fentence; but is followed by fome other member, or fentence, with which it is closely connected: as, "To look upon the foul as going from strength to ftrength, to confider that fhe is to fhine for ever with new acceffions of glory, and brighten to all eternity; that fhe will be ftill adding virtue to virtue, and knowledge to knowledge; carries in it fomething wonderfully agreeable to that ambition which is natural to the mind of man."-Spectator. This compound fentence is divided into three principal parts by the femicolon; each part requires a greater pause than a comma; but neither of them expreffes perfect sense, or forms a perfect fentence, being clofely connected in fenfe with each other. The COLON is used when a sentence, whether fimple or compound, requires a greater paufe than a femicolon: it al ways forms a perfect fenfe, and would by itself form a com, plete fentence, but is followed by another member, or fen tence; making the fenfe more full and complete: as, Were |